                Field of Invention        
Nail infections are a particularly significant problem in the general population, affecting an estimated 5% to 15% of the overall population. This percentage is significantly higher in the elderly age group and among athletes and other individuals who have high moisture in the area of their feet. It is estimated that approximately 25% of those over 65 suffer from nail infections.
Nail infections are often caused by fungus and this type of infection is termed onychomycosis. Currently, the preferred method for the prevention and treatment of skin and nail infections relies on application of topical medications or ingestion of medications. These medications are used to treat an existing infection, not for the prevention of an infection. Cost of treatment for nail infections by using medication can be between $600 and $1200 per course of treatment and can last three to six months. This is the amount of time it takes the medication to be incorporated into the nails. Another one to six months is then required for the nail to become free of infection. These medications also have a low cure rate with the efficacious having a total cure rate of less than 40%. In addition to the high costs and low cure rates, oral medications for nail infections have serious side effects including heart and liver problems, loss of taste for a year or more, and at times they can cause death.
Topically applied medications are safer than oral medications but have a much lower cure rate. Most topically applied medications for nail infections have cure rates of less than 15%. This is because these medications have difficulty in penetrating the nails effectively. While topically applied medications for skin infections are more efficacious even these medications have drawbacks including side effects such as rashes and other allergic reactions.
No effective method has been developed to prevent or treat skin and nail infections by changing the composition of the skin or nail without the use of oral medications or the application of topical medications.